the 61st hunger games • chanbaek

pt. 8

the two hadn't found water again and it was beginning to take it's toll on them.

baekhyun had come to the conclusion that there was simply no water in this godforsaken arena.

he was getting rather annoyed with kyungsoo's rules over the water bottle, tiny sips weren't cutting it anymore. besides kyungsoo hadn't gone two complete days without any water, baekhyun had. sometimes he wondered if he should just take the bottle and run, he knew he couldn't do that. the guilt would eat him up.

they rarely spoke, savouring their energy for walking around aimlessly in search of some sort of water source. the saltine crackers in kyungsoo's bag didn't help one bit, it only made it worse, the crackers drying up their mouths and throats.

but they were starving and had no other choice. the berries with the crackers didn't make for a very fulfilling meal.

he wondered if people were noticing them struggle, aimlessly walking with no sense of direction. he knew he wasn't a fan favourite and he wasn't so sure on kyungsoo either but he hoped they at least felt some form of pity for them.

he looked up at the sky, it was a too perfect blue with barely a cloud in sight.  the sun was beating down on them. there was rarely any shade, most trees were stripped from their leaves, which were on the ashy ground, dry and crunchy.

baekhyun was certain they wouldn't find water. the forest was all the same. maybe this was it, dying from dehydration once the small bottle of water was finished. he would rather of had the knife to his head at the cornucopia, he figured it would be a lot less sufferable than this.

he stopped to catch his bearings, leaning his hand against the tree but he had no idea where they were. an idea soon came to mind as he patted the wood of the tall tree.

"maybe i can climb and look for water up there." baekhyun suggested as he turned back to kyungsoo.

kyungsoo only mustered up a nod, too exhausted to utter a response.

baekhyun managed to climb up to the first sturdy branch with the help of a boost from kyungsoo. he would sometimes climb trees for fun when he was in the woods with chanyeol, so this wasn't anything new to him.

he hauled himself up through the tree, making sure to test the branch with his weight to make sure it was secure. once he was fairly up high, he pushed the branches out his way to look out at the arena.

he sighed at the sight, it was just trees in his way, just as tall as the tree he was in, blocking the view. he could make out where the cornucopia was, due to the lack of trees in that area. they were quite far away from it.

his eyes focused on the incline a hill at the other end of the arena, there was lack of trees there. maybe there was water. he tried his best to make out what the arena was but it just seemed as though it was a golden forest with barely a soul around.

he looked back down, ready to make his descend down to solid ground but he froze. his eyes widening at the sight of kyungsoo being tugged to the floor by another tribute.

"kyungsoo!" he yelled out, going as quickly as he could down to the ground. he couldn't let another person die because of him. he had to help him.

he quickly jumped on the back of the tall male with his knife in hand. his eyes getting a quick look at kyungsoo over the male's shoulder, his heart dropping at the sight of blood on his neck. a deep crimson red which contrasted with the ashy tones around them.

he wasn't quick enough.

before baekhyun could process the information that kyungsoo; the male he had grown close to wasn't going to make it, he was forcefully slammed backwards into the tree he just climbed. the knife fell from his grasp. he wanted to make a run for it but a fist met his face a couple times and he grew dizzy, his ears were ringing and the ground beneath felt like it was spinning slightly.